Services

Property Management

Leaving your property in safe hands...

When it comes to property management this can be a daunting experience dealing with various issues from repairs to rent collection. That’s why we have a dedicated team with years of experience to deal with these issues which at times can become very complex. So you the landlord can rest assured knowing your investment is in safe hands. We offer a personalised service to our landlords and keep you informed every step of the way from start to end of tenancy.

As part of this service we will:

Stand as the main point of contact for the tenant.

Collect rent & provide monthly statements.

Arrange repairs to be carried out by our independent contractors, selected for their excellent service and competitive pricing.

Notify utility companies of a tenant change over.

Deposit Protection Scheme – The legislation came into effect April 2007 after this date all deposits taken for Assured Shorthold Tenancies (AST) for residential property in England & Wales must be protected by an authorised tenancy deposit scheme. We are registered members of My Deposits protection scheme.

Organise a professional clean of the property at the end of a tenancy.

Organise inventories and cost any dilapidations at the end of the tenancy.

Organise Gas and Electrical checks to be carried out by Gas Safe / NICEIC certified contractors.

Undertake property visits.

Offer an optional refurbishment and advice service.

Provide the landlord with advice on any relevant legislation.

Investment

Our property consultants provide you with in-depth local knowledge combined with business acumen. To help guide you through the process. With emerging International markets such as Asia continually increasing a greater influence in the London property market areas such as Docklands & Royal Docks will continue to go from strength to strength. We deal with our International colleagues on a regular basis so were perfectly placed to deal with your investment.

There are two main types of property investment - direct and indirect, but which is suitable for you, how do they work, and where can you find investment property for sale?

Direct property investment:

Buy-to-let: You can purchase property with a view to letting it - this would give you both an income, in the form of rent from a tenant, as well as capital growth if the property is sold for a profit.

Property development: Alternatively you can purchase property directly with a view to renovating it and selling it for a profit.

Indirect property investment:

Property fund: You can also invest in property indirectly through a property fund. If the fund performs it will provide you with an income in the form of dividends, or rental income, depending on the type of fund, and capital growth when you come to sell. This is a general guide on types of property investments we do not guarantee any returns or provide financial investment advice. We advise you to obtain independant financial advice when making such financial commitments.

Direct versus indirect property investments

If you invest in a property fund you have exposure to property without the need for any work on your part. The fund will be managed by a fund manager. By contrast, if you own a buy-to-let property you will have ongoing involvement with letting agents and tenants, and a property development may require you to either project manage the development or undertake some of the renovations yourself. In short, if you buy a property, it is a 'hands-on' investment that typically requires active involvement from the investor.

Property funds have the advantage of ready-made diversification built in, which depending on the mix of the fund, can lower the risk when compared with a direct property investment. With a fund you also have the choice of investing in shares held in property-related companies, or in bricks and mortar. This is a general guide on types of property investments we do not guarantee any returns or provide financial investment advice. We advise you to obtain independant financial advice when making such financial commitments.

Property investment: the potential for high returns

There is one important aspect of direct property investment that sets it apart from an indirect investment, and makes it an attractive option for investors - the fact that you don't need to find funds to cover 100% of the property value to be able to purchase. Typically you only invest a portion of the funds and the balance can be borrowed as a mortgage.

However, if the value of the property goes up, you benefit from the increase in its total value even though you have only paid for a portion of the property. This gives you the potential for high returns. To put this into perspective, if, for example, you have £25,000 to invest, you could choose to buy shares, or alternatively you could use the money as a deposit to purchase a £100,000 house.

If shares go up by 10%, you stand to make £2,500, 10% of your original investment. However, if your property goes up by 10% you stand to make £10,000 - 10% of the total property value, but a 40% return on your investment. Of course, in reality, it is not this straightforward. There are many costs that need to be considered when purchasing property, but this simple illustration demonstrates why purchasing property can be attractive.

It's also important to remember that the value of property can go down as well as up, although over the long-term it tends to go up. Property investment needs to be viewed as a medium to long-term investment - a minimum 7-year investment period is usually recommended.

Risks of property investment

If you need to borrow money to fund your property investment (and there are good reasons for doing this as the example above illustrates) then you will be committing to monthly mortgage repayments. The cost of your borrowing can vary over the period of your investment depending on interest rates. If interest rates go up significantly it could mean that you are no longer covering your costs with the rental income from the property. Also, if your property lies empty for any reason, you still need to find the funds to cover the mortgage repayments. If we manage your investment we can alleviate this problem therefor averting void periods and loss of rental income.

In the case of property development, if a property takes longer than expected to renovate, or takes time to sell, the cost of financing the mortgage can quickly decrease your expected gains from the investment.

Property investment cost implications.

There are significant costs attached to buying and selling property, such as stamp duty, and agency and legal fees, and these need to be considered when you are making a decision about whether or not to invest. There are also ongoing costs attached to a buy-to-let investment - refurbishment and upkeep, the cost of drawing up contracts and complying with legislation, and mortgage repayments to name but a few. All of these should be factored in to ensure the investment stacks up financially.

Maintenance

Docklands Real Estates ensures that when work is needed to be carried out, from the small and intricate to large disciplined projects. The need for cost-effectiveness and minimal disruption is imperative for our range of clients. We use proven and trusted independent builders across the scale to enable us to achieve a competitive rate and total competence for the project which requires good business practice and high standards of workmanship.

Docklands Real Estates are pleased to introduce to you the provision of cleaning services on offer. We offer a very wide range of professional cleaning services throughout East London & Greater London.

Our services include:

Pre & Post Tenancy Cleans

Professional Carpet Steam Cleaning (Wet or Dry Options)

Office, Retail & Commercial Cleaning

Rug & Upholstery Cleaning

Regular Household & Domestic Cleans & Chores

Mortgages

Our independent financial advisors have specialist knowledge and access to many different products. They are able to liaise with hundreds of lenders on the financial markets. Our financial advisors can tailor a mortgage package to satisfy your specific circumstances. Whether you are a first-time buyer, buy to let investor or self-employed individual, they are able to achieve packages offering competitive rates and attractive benefits. Why not give us a call or complete the form and we will use our experts to find the right mortgage to cater for your needs. We understand the needs of our clients and the time constraints in meeting those needs in today's busy climate.

WHAT IS OPEN HOUSE?

A new and exciting way of selling your home...

Basically it means setting a day and time when you launch your home to all the interested parties, rather than allowing viewings sparingly over several weeks. In the early stages of house hunting most buyers usually wish to avoid immediate involvement with an estate agent. As with a first trip to a retail store, they are 'just looking.' Their reasons for this are:

They want control over their own purchasing habits

They don't want to be pressured into things

It's fun for them to discover a product on their own

They don't trust sale speople much

An Open House is the perfect environment for setting the opportunity for sellers to SHOWCASE their property to a large number of interested buyers in a short period of time. It is an excellent way for buyers to view a house in relaxed surroundings, without needing to make an appointment or feel pressured by an estate agent.

Can I attend?

Anyone can attend an open house even if their property is not on the market. Tell all your friends, family and colleagues even neighbours.

Why attend?

If you are looking to move it is a great way to see what we can do for you. Our representative will be on hand to assist your every concern.

What to do next?

Just turn up on the day, no appointment necessary! We look forward to seeing you. Look out for the Open House sign.